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TATES. PATENT Fries. 1

IVILLIAM I FLEI'IARTY, OF NOIHVALK, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO J. F. LANING, OF SAME PLACE.

TOY P'ARACHUTE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 450,565, dated April 14, 1891.

Application filed December 17, 1890. Serial No. 375,045. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. FLEHARTY, of N orwalk, in the county of Huron and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toy Parachutes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in toy parachutes; and it consists in certain features of construction and in combination of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the parachute in its normal or folded condition and ready for flying. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing in solid lines the device reversed, as when it commences to descend, and in dotted lines showing the device in the act of a second reversion preparatory to expanding. Fig. 3 shows the device expanded, as in its descent after the second reversion. Fig. 4 is an enlarged elevation in detail of a sleeve A.

A represents the stick or handle of the parachute, to which at c is fastened the cover B, this cover corresponding with the cloth of an umbrella, and is usually made of strong thin paper prepared for the purpose. The cover B at or near the base or lower end thereof is connected by a series of strings I) with the stick or with an attachment of the latter, these strings being of the required length to allow the parachute to open or expand, like an umbrella.

A is a sleeve permanently fastened to the stick about in the position shown, this sleeve being flanged outward at the one end and the flanged section being punctured for con? venience in attaching the strings I).

In order to fly a parachute to any considerable height, the forward end of the stick must be of considerable weight as compared with the rest of the device. Otherwise the parachute would reverse in its flight. To this end I provide a weight 0, mounted loosely on the point of stick A, and this weight at the pointed or free end thereof is connected by a system of strings I) with the base or lower portion of the cover of the parachute.

.As the parachute reaches the end of its flight upward the point of stick A, by reason of weight 0, is top-heavy. Consequently the device reverses-that is, turns bottom upward as shown in Fig. 2, whereupon weight 0 falls off, and by reason of its being connected with strings with the other end of the parachute the parachute is caused again to reversethat is, to return to the same position in which it took its flight. As soon as the device commences to descend in the latter position the cover expands by being inflated with air, the gravity of weight C only slightly retarding such expansion, and thereby prevents the paper from being torn, as would likely be the case if the expansion were violent.

A bow D or stick of some kind is used for flying the parachute, this bow having attached a string (Z and the latter having a knotted end d, and stick A is provided with a notch or wire a for engaging such string and knot. Sometimes, more especially when the wind is blowing, the resistance of the air to the body of the parachute causes it to lag behind weight (J, so that theweight by its greater momentum becomes disengaged or lost off the stick before the parachute has reached the height that it would otherwise have attained, and to prevent this I attach a small secondary weight Esuch, for instance, as a bulletto some portion of the string mechanism, as shown, that connects the primary weight with the parachute below, and this secondary weight E has a tendency to cramp the primary weight on stick A, thus causing sufficient friction between the parts to hold weight O in place during the ascent of the parachute. As the string to which the secondary weight is attached connects with the forward or pointed end of weight 0, when the parachute first reverses, as hereinbefore described, weight E does not hinder weight C from falling off of stick A.

\Vhat I claim is 1. A toy parachute having a loose weight attached to the forward end thereof, such weight being connected loosely by means of a suitable string with the base .or other end of the parachute, substantially as set forth.

2. A toy parachute having a loose weight attachedto the forward end or point thereof, 1 in testimony whereof I sign this specificasueh weight being operatively connected by 5 tioni in the presence of two witnesses, this a string or strings with the other end of the i 5th day of November, 1890.

parachute, and a secondary Weight being eon- WILLIAM F. FLEHARTY. 5 nected with such string system in position to Witnesses:

cramp the primary Weight on its stick, sub 1 ti. H. DORER,

stantially as set forth.

han HOOVER. 

